LinkedIn prospecting — without a CRM.

A prospecting workflow that fits in LinkedIn

• Source a prospect, save the profile with a 3-day reminder.
• After the intro message, set a 5-day "follow-up if no reply" reminder.
• After the discovery call, set a reminder for the next touchpoint.
• After they go quiet, set a 30-day re-engagement reminder.

Why this beats a spreadsheet

Spreadsheets require context switching and dual data entry. A reminder attached to the actual LinkedIn profile or thread keeps the context with the reminder — one click and you're back.

When you outgrow this

When you have a team, multiple stages, and reporting needs, you'll want a real CRM. Until then, keep things simple.

Qualify the profile before you reach out

Good LinkedIn sales prospecting starts before the first message. Spend a minute on the profile: the role, how long they have been in it, recent posts and shared connections. If nothing on the profile suggests your offer is relevant right now, a reminder to check back in a month is often better than a cold pitch today.

• Is the person in a role that owns the problem you solve?
• Have they posted or commented recently, so they are likely to see a message?
• Is there a genuine reason to write now — a post, a job change, a shared event?

A lightweight manual pipeline

You don't need a CRM to keep a small prospecting pipeline under control. Use one reminder per prospect for the next step, and give each reminder a short title that says what to do, such as "Send case study" or "Ask about Q3 budget". Each morning, open the due list, work through it, and set a new reminder before you close each conversation.

For longer cycles, add the prospect to a saved sequence so each touch is planned in advance. You still write and send every message yourself, which keeps the outreach personal and within LinkedIn's rules. When a prospect replies or books a meeting, stop the sequence and move the conversation to wherever you manage deals.